Mexico City for Curious Travelers: Culture, Food, and Urban Adventure -Photo by Thomas E. Franklin

Mexico City for Curious Travelers: Culture, Food, and Urban Adventure

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<h3>What inspired you to work for <a href=https://www.goabroad.com/providers/beyond-travels rel="" target="_self" class="link">Beyond Travels</a>?</h3>
<p>One of my greatest passions began in childhood. As an Ecuadorian with half of my family from the United States, I loved bringing my American family to Ecuador and sharing my culture, people, and country with them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I quickly realized these visits were much more than vacations. My family learned, connected, changed, and had an incredible time, while the local businesses and communities that welcomed them benefited economically.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I saw the power of creating a true win-win through travel, and that realization has shaped my entire life. I have dedicated my life to creating meaningful travel experiences that transform visitors while generating positive, lasting benefits for local businesses, communities, and the places they call home.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?</h3>
<p>Travel differently. Get out of the hotel. Meet local people.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Seek out rural farmers who are willing to welcome you, share a meal, tell their stories, and show you their way of life. Farmers often carry generations of knowledge about growing food, cooking, forests, plants, and the natural world that you simply cannot find in a guidebook.</p>
<div class="awesome-image right-aligned " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788850777/images2/interviews/CkrWy43SuMKhEHnK9SWXLxAWR6cKmV944e8hP7jN.jpg" alt="In Senegal on a horse and cart"><div class="caption"><p>In Senegal on a horse and cart</p></div></div>
<h3>Describe a typical day at work.</h3>
<p>In the Office</p>
<ul>
<li dir = "auto">One-on-one conversations with potential travelers, travel organizations, staff, and local providers</li>
<li dir = "auto">Writing emails</li>
<li dir = "auto">Posting on social media</li>
</ul>
<p>In the Field</p>
<ul>
<li dir = "auto">Visiting schools and going to conferences</li>
<li dir = "auto">Leading groups in the Amazon Rainforest, Galápagos Islands, Costa Rica, and Senegal</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why do you do what you do?</h3>
<p>On a mission to create positive change through the joy of travel.</p>
<h3>What is your favorite part of your job?</h3>
<p>Designing and implementing travel experiences</p>
<h3>How do you use your education and international background in your current role?</h3>
<p>I love what I do so much that I have built my entire life around travel and intercultural understanding. I live it, study it, work in it, and create transformative travel experiences for others.</p>
<p>From my education in international education to living, studying, and working across cultures, everything I have done has centered on connecting people and helping them understand the world and one another more deeply.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Travel isn’t just my career. It is my life’s passion and purpose.</p>
<h3>Why should someone choose Beyond Travels over competitors?</h3>
<p>What Makes Beyond Travels Different</p>
<ol>
<li dir = "auto">Experienced Leadership and a Bridge Between Cultures<br><br>Andy Gavilanes, founder and CEO, has approximately 30 years of international experience. Half Ecuadorian and half American, he speaks four languages, has lived and worked across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, served in the Peace Corps, and holds a Master’s in International Education. This experience allows us to understand both travelers and host communities and create meaningful, transformational connections between them.</li>
<li dir = "auto">We Go Beyond the Tourist Experience<br><br>We go off the beaten path and immerse visitors in local communities. We plant, harvest, cook, dance, learn, and spend time with people in their homes, farms and communities.<br><br>We avoid the “tip of the iceberg” experience where travelers simply visit attractions, stay in resorts and interact with locals only as service providers. We are travelers, not tourists. Our long-standing local relationships give visitors access to authentic experiences most tourists never discover.</li>
<li dir = "auto">We Practice Presence<br><br>We encourage visitors to slow down and truly experience where they are. Listen to the birds. Smell the forest. Feel the sun. Swim, walk, meditate and simply be present.<br><br>Presence and curiosity transform the travel experience.</li>
<li dir = "auto">We Believe in Experiential Learning<br><br>We don't just show you something. We want you to do it.<br><br>Plant and harvest instead of simply touring a farm. Cook instead of just eating. Dance instead of watching. Make crafts instead of buying them. Participate rather than observe.<br><br>Learning by doing creates deeper understanding and connection.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Every Experience Is Customized<br><br>We don't believe in one-size-fits-all travel. We learn about you, your interests and goals, then tailor the experience accordingly.<br><br>We balance adventure, learning, connection, rest, comfort and opportunities to step outside your comfort zone. Our goal is more than a great vacation. It is personal growth and transformation.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Small, Boutique and Human<br><br>We are intentionally small. This allows us to remain personal, flexible and responsive.<br><br>You are not a reservation number. We treat you like a human being, and like friends and family.<br><br>Our size allows us to adapt programs, respond to individual interests and maintain genuine relationships with both visitors and local communities.</li>
<li dir = "auto">We Support Rural Communities and Forests<br><br>We work primarily with rural farming and forest communities, creating income through tourism while supporting their livelihoods, knowledge, products and connection to the land.<br><br>Visitors don't simply observe these communities. They build relationships with them and learn from them. In return, communities benefit economically and gain new opportunities to share their knowledge and culture.</li>
<li dir = "auto">We Help People Reconnect<br><br>Modern life increasingly separates people from nature, community, movement and meaningful hands-on experiences.<br><br>Our programs offer the opposite: walking through forests, harvesting food, preparing meals, working with your hands, spending time with local people and practicing presence.<br><br>We take people out of the screen and into the forest. Out of isolation and into community. Out of sitting and into movement. Out of distraction and into presence.</li>
<li dir = "auto">We Take Care of Our People<br><br>International travel involves risks, and we take safety seriously. Our years of local experience have built strong relationships with doctors, hospitals, transportation providers, emergency services and other resources.<br><br>We know who to call and what to do when something goes wrong.<br><br>We take care of our people.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Relationships Continue After the Trip<br><br>Our relationship doesn't end when the program does. Visitors often remain connected with us and with the communities they visited.<br><br>We aim to create long-term relationships, not transactions.</li>
</ol>
<p>Our Philosophy&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li dir = "auto">Travel with purpose. Learn by doing. Be present. Go deeper. Build real relationships. Support local communities. Step outside your comfort zone. Grow. Transform. Don't just visit a place. Become part of it.</li>
</ul>
<div class="awesome-image centered " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788851231/images2/interviews/5PJKYaIcTHAQo1PGva9jUU9TAjfb9NGour9usgEh.jpg" alt="In a Costa Rican Forest Farm"><div class="caption"><p>In a Costa Rican Forest Farm</p></div></div>
<h3>What is Beyond Travels' mission and how do you continue to work toward it?</h3>
<p>Our mission is to create transformative experiences for travelers while creating meaningful, positive impact in the cultures and environments they visit.</p>
<p>We are constantly asking ourselves how we can make that impact stronger. Rather than following a fixed model, we continually explore new ideas, adapt our programs, and incorporate concepts that can help us achieve our mission more effectively.</p>
<p>For our travelers, we are increasingly focusing on the concept of presence. We believe that being truly present is one of the most important tools for learning, connecting, and experiencing life deeply.</p>
<p>Many people in Western societies today spend much of their lives indoors, sitting behind computers and looking at phones. At the same time, burnout, isolation, anxiety, and depression are increasingly common.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Our programs offer an opportunity to step away from that environment and reconnect with some fundamental human practices: being outdoors, moving our bodies, preparing food, working with our hands, learning from others, and being part of a community.</p>
<p>We visit rural farmers and forest communities not simply to observe them, but to learn from their knowledge, values, and ways of life. Participants may harvest food, plant, prepare traditional foods and medicines, walk through forests, and spend meaningful time with local people. These experiences can reconnect travelers with practices and values that have become increasingly disconnected from everyday life in much of the Western world.</p>
<p>By intentionally practicing presence during our programs, travelers are able to slow down, pay attention, build deeper relationships, and ultimately take much more away from their experience.</p>
<p>At the same time, we have become increasingly focused on working with rural farmers and forest communities because they are often among the people who need economic opportunities most and are directly connected to the protection of the forests and ecosystems around them.</p>
<p>Our goal is therefore a genuine two-way exchange: travelers are transformed through meaningful experiences and learning, while host communities and environments benefit from the relationships, opportunities, and support that responsible travel can create.</p>
<p>We see our work as an ongoing process of learning, adapting, and finding better ways to make travel a force for personal transformation, intercultural understanding, community benefit, and environmental conservation.</p>
<div class="awesome-image centered " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788851232/images2/interviews/i3yjNlHvuf2mxeau2juHMMAygC3pDv0n4nIMHb1w.jpg" alt="In a farm in Costa Rica"><div class="caption"><p>In a farm in Costa Rica</p></div></div>
<h3>What hopes do you have for the future for Beyond Travels?</h3>
<p>The goal is to increase our positive impact on visitors, communities, and forests while preserving the quality and essence of the experience. We do not want to grow simply for the sake of growth.</p>
<p>If we grow too much, the experience can become standardized and industrialized, losing the personal, intimate, boutique character that makes our programs transformative.</p>
<h3>Are there any developments with Beyond Travels that you would like to share with us?</h3>
<p>We now work in the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands, Costa Rica, and Senegal in West Africa. Across these destinations, we have narrowed our focus to visiting and working with rural farmers and forest communities, creating experiences that positively impact both their lives and the forests they depend on.</p>
<p>We also focus strongly on presence as a way to improve the quality and lasting impact of the experience. We want visitors to be fully present during their stay, listening, being curious, and genuinely connecting with the people and places they encounter.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We cultivate this through breathing, meditation, silent forest walks, and hands-on activities that encourage participants to slow down, pay attention, and experience their surroundings more deeply.</p>
<h3>What makes Beyond Travels easy to market to potential participants?</h3>
<p>We offer a world-class product in a rapidly growing market. More travelers are seeking purposeful experiences that allow them to learn, transform, and positively impact the places they visit. That is exactly what we provide.</p>
<p>We work with individuals and groups of all ages, customizing each experience around their interests, goals, and needs. Our combination of meaningful impact, deep immersion, and personalized experiences creates a unique boutique product that is difficult to replicate.</p>
<h3>What do you hope participants take away from your programs?</h3>
<p>Through our experiences, travelers:</p>
<ul>
<li dir = "auto">Learn how people live in other parts of the world and gain a deeper understanding of different cultures.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Recognize their own privilege and the importance of caring for people, communities, and the planet.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Learn values, knowledge, and practices from rural farmers and forest communities.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Develop stronger intercultural communication and language skills.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Find greater purpose, meaning, excitement, and motivation in their lives.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Discover how their choices can positively impact themselves, others, and the environment.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Learn about the history, geography, current events, challenges, and successes of the places they visit.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Practice presence and experience the importance of connecting with nature and the forest.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Rediscover the value of being outdoors, moving their bodies, growing and harvesting food, making food and medicine, and spending meaningful time in community.</li>
</ul>
<div class="awesome-image right-aligned " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788850777/images2/interviews/wVIWlyDm4QXKJAwRC9PQ15JCUlCD3UzvuDoEQrYy.jpg" alt="On a swing off a precipice in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador"><div class="caption"><p>On a swing off a precipice in the 
Andes Mountains in Ecuador</p></div></div>
<ul>
<li dir = "auto">Break out of their routines and comfort zones, creating new pathways for personal and communal growth.</li>
<li dir = "auto">Return home inspired to see their communities and their own lives differently and to make positive changes.</li>
</ul>
<p>Travel is more than seeing the world. It is a way to grow, connect, and return home with the desire and ability to make life better for yourself and others.</p>
<h3>What does meaningful travel mean to you?</h3>
<p>It’s important not to settle for “tip of the iceberg” travel, where you only experience the pretty, superficial parts of a culture and place: the architecture, tourist food, resort beaches, piña coladas, and staged cultural performances. When the only interaction you have with locals is with the people serving you, you’re missing so much of what a place has to offer.</p>
<p>Get out. Learn how to cook a local meal. Learn the dance instead of just watching it. Talk with farmers and families. Learn about the challenges and realities of the country, not just its beauty. Go off the beaten path, be curious, and bring your business to communities that are often overlooked.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Some of the most meaningful travel experiences come from the people and places farthest from the tourist trail.</p>

Andy Gavilanes

Get to know the people behind Beyond Travels! Check out this GoAbroad Staff Interview with Andy Gavilanes.

Andy Gavilanes | Beyond Travels Staff Interview

Beyond Travels Staff Interview with Andy Gavilanes

<h3>What inspired you to go abroad?</h3>
<p>Growing up, I lived in Thailand and practiced tennis, so travel and new cultures always felt natural to me.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When I found the Academy in Antalya, I saw a chance to keep growing — studying, working in marketing, and meeting people from all over the world. It felt like the right next step. I enjoy every moment.</p>
<h3>Why did you choose <a href=https://www.goabroad.com/providers/the-academy-of-tourism-antalya rel="" target="_self" class="link">The Academy of Tourism Antalya</a>?</h3>
<p>I chose the Academy of Tourism and Business because it combines real <a href=https://www.goabroad.com/providers/the-academy-of-tourism-antalya/programs/pr-marketing-in-tourism-and-business-200593 rel="" target="_self" class="link">studying</a> with real work experience. I am not just learning theory because I am actually working in the marketing department, filming videos, writing scripts, and talking to future students.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That hands-on side made the choice easy for me.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="awesome-image centered " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788309076/images2/interviews/xtJ0lbCvlo0LRc46wh4n21PTpSRS2vGz35pkzwHo.jpg" alt="Internship"><div class="caption"><p>Internship</p></div></div>
<h3>What was your favorite part about Antalya?</h3>
<p>My favorite part is definitely the atmosphere in Antalya — the sea, the sun, and how international everything feels. There is always something happening: events, new students arriving, interesting people around.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Coming from Thailand, I feel right at home here, just with a totally new adventure in my life.</p>
<h3>What made your experience abroad extraordinary?</h3>
<p>What made it extraordinary is that I am not just a student here — I am part of the team.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I get to create content, meet future students on calls, and see the Academy grow from the inside. It is rare to actually shape the place where you are studying, and that is what makes it special. I like to be part of it.</p>
<h3>How did local staff support you throughout your program?</h3>
<p>The staff here feel more like colleagues than supervisors.&nbsp;</p>
<p>My team in the marketing department always guides me, gives feedback on my videos and scripts, and helps me balance studying with work. Whenever I had questions — about classes or tasks — someone was always ready to help. I found my real friends here.</p>
<h3>What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?</h3>
<p>Honestly, I wish I had started filming and documenting my journey from day one.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Looking back, I have so many stories from my first weeks that I have never captured. Now I always tell new students: start recording early — you will want those memories later. It is a new chapter of my life, and it is great.</p>
<h3>Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.</h3>
<div class="awesome-image left-aligned " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788309077/images2/interviews/fRl8ChduYscbkHeSwh0mH2PF0PNke9hcnLJi35Ic.jpg" alt="Antalya"><div class="caption"><p>Antalya</p></div></div>
<p>My days are a mix of everything — morning classes, then straight to the marketing office for calls with future students, filming reels, or writing scripts. No two days look the same. Sometimes I am on camera, sometimes behind a laptop, always somewhere between studying and working. And I like to organize my day.</p>
<h3>What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?</h3>
<p>In my free time, I love walking along the sea, meeting up with friends, and sometimes just relaxing after a busy day of classes and filming. Since I used to play tennis, I also try to get back on the court whenever I can — it is my favorite way to unwind. Also, I like swimming because it relaxes my mind.</p>
<h3>What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?</h3>
<p>I rent my own apartment near campus, which gives me the freedom to organize my day around classes and work. What I like best is having my own space to relax after filming or long calls with future students — plus it is close enough that I never waste time commuting. The best part is the location for me.</p>
<h3>What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?</h3>
<p>One thing to know is that this program is not just about sitting in class — you can actually start working and gaining real experience right away, as I did in marketing.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you are ready to combine studying with hands-on practice, you will get so much more out of your time here. Just plan your days in advance</p>
<h3>Would you recommend The Academy of Tourism Antalya to others? Why?</h3>
<p>Yes, definitely! The Academy gave me more than an education — it gave me real work experience, a job I actually enjoy, and a chance to grow professionally while still studying.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The practical training and internship opportunities really set it apart from a typical school program. I got to apply what I learned almost immediately, which made everything click so much faster.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you want a program that combines learning with real opportunities, I would fully recommend it to anyone considering their future career.</p>
<h3>What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?</h3>
<p>For me, the biggest benefit is how much you grow as a person. Living abroad pushes you out of your comfort zone, teaches you independence, and opens your mind to new cultures and people.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="awesome-image right-aligned " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788309078/images2/interviews/jZRTvSQOXpPAc47jBtRagQGc0cbGFaYD54I0WLYs.jpg" alt="Park"><div class="caption"><p>Park</p></div></div>
<p>You learn to solve problems on your own, adapt quickly, and communicate with people from completely different backgrounds. It's an experience that shapes you far beyond just studying or working — it changes the way you see the world and yourself.</p>
<h3>Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?</h3>
<p>I'm actually still here in Turkey, and that says a lot about how much this experience impacted me. It changed my plans completely — now I'm even considering staying long-term, maybe one day running my own marketing agency remotely from here.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This place became more than an experience; it became part of my future.</p>
<h3>What does meaningful travel mean to you?</h3>
<p>For me, meaningful travel isn't about checking off places — it's about actually building a life somewhere new. Working, studying, making friends, even imagining my future here in Turkey. I've learned the language, found people who feel like family, and started to understand the culture from the inside, not just as a visitor.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That's what makes it meaningful: when a trip turns into something real, not just a memory, but a foundation for the years ahead.</p>

Anastasiya Vinogradova

Check out this GoAbroad Interview with Anastasiya Vinogradova who participated in The Academy of Tourism Antalya program.

Anastasiya Vinogradova | The Academy of Tourism Antalya

The Academy of Tourism Antalya Alumni Interview with Anastasiya Vinogradova

<h3>What inspired you to go abroad?</h3>
<p>I was inspired to go abroad because I wanted to gain international experience, improve my English, and learn from professionals in the hospitality industry.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Living and working in another country helped me become more confident, independent, and prepared for my future career. I still continue my life in Antalya.</p>
<h3>Why did you choose the <a href=https://www.goabroad.com/providers/the-academy-of-tourism-antalya/programs/hotel-management-program-200599 rel="" target="_self" class="link">Hotel Management Program</a>?</h3>
<div class="awesome-image right-aligned " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788307387/images2/interviews/9E03AXDPwcOyYdzfWoyXX2vyT3VwgiuLYTOtCscX.jpg" alt="reception"><div class="caption"><p>reception</p></div></div>
<p>I chose the Hotel Management Program because it combines academic learning with real work experience in international hotels. <a href=https://www.goabroad.com/providers/the-academy-of-tourism-antalya rel="" target="_self" class="link">The Academy of Tourism and Business in Antalya</a> offers excellent practical training, experienced instructors, and strong connections with leading hotels.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It was the perfect opportunity to develop my professional skills, improve my English, and start building a successful career in the hospitality industry.</p>
<h3>What was your favorite part about Antalya?</h3>
<p>My favorite part about Antalya was its unique combination of beautiful beaches, sunny weather, and a welcoming atmosphere. I loved exploring the city, enjoying the Mediterranean lifestyle, and meeting people from different cultures.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Antalya is full of history, amazing food, and breathtaking views. It is the perfect place to study, work, and enjoy your free time. Living there made my international experience even more memorable and inspiring.</p>
<h3>What made your experience abroad extraordinary?</h3>
<p>What made my experience abroad extraordinary was the combination of professional growth, new friendships, and life in Antalya.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Working at the hotel helped me become more confident, improve my communication skills, and learn how international hospitality works. My supportive team, the beautiful city, and the chance to meet people from different cultures made this experience truly unforgettable.</p>
<h3>How did local staff support you throughout your program?</h3>
<p>The local staff was always kind, patient, and supportive. They helped me adapt to a new working environment and were always ready to answer my questions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Thanks to their encouragement and daily communication, I even started learning Turkish. They made me feel like part of the team from the very first day, which made my experience much more enjoyable and rewarding.</p>
<h3>What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?</h3>
<p>Looking back, I wish I had started learning Turkish earlier. It would have helped me communicate even better with local people and enjoy the culture more deeply. I would also have liked to travel more around Turkey and explore more of its beautiful cities.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Overall, my experience was amazing, and I would happily do it all again.</p>
<h3>Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.</h3>
<div class="awesome-image left-aligned " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788307388/images2/interviews/JWNKWYTPl7T4gLnLlxZq3hMbS0Rf3Z57D8YzoVK2.jpg" alt="Iran tour as a part of the Academy"><div class="caption"><p>Iran tour as a part of the Academy</p></div></div>
<p>A typical day started with breakfast before my shift at the hotel. I worked at the front desk, where I welcomed guests, answered their questions, and helped with check-ins and check-outs. Every day was different, which made the job exciting and interesting.&nbsp;</p>
<p>After work, I often spent time with my colleagues or friends, explored Antalya, relaxed by the sea, or practiced my English and Turkish. Each day helped me grow both personally and professionally.</p>
<h3>What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?</h3>
<p>During my free time, I enjoyed walking around Antalya, relaxing on the beautiful beaches, and exploring the city's historic places. I also loved trying traditional Turkish food and visiting local cafés with my friends.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Sometimes we went shopping or took short trips to nearby attractions. These moments helped me experience Turkish culture and made my time abroad even more enjoyable.</p>
<h3>What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?</h3>
<p>I stayed in a staff residence (lojman) provided by the hotel. I shared a room with three other guys, and we had our own private bathroom and shower, which made living there very comfortable.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The residence also had a swimming pool and a cozy lounge where we could relax, drink coffee or tea, and spend time together after work. It was a great place to make new friends and feel at home during my internship.</p>
<h3>What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?</h3>
<p>Be ready to learn, work hard, and step outside your comfort zone. This program is not only about studying hotel management—it is about gaining real international work experience, improving your language skills, and growing as a person.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Stay open to new cultures, communicate with your team, and make the most of every opportunity. If you have a positive attitude, this experience can truly change your future.</p>
<h3>Would you recommend the Hotel Management Program to others? Why?</h3>
<p>Yes, I would definitely recommend this program to other students. It offers the perfect combination of education and real work experience in the hospitality industry. I gained valuable professional skills, improved my English, started learning Turkish, and met amazing people from different countries.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Academy of Tourism and Business in Antalya provided excellent support throughout the entire program, making this experience both enjoyable and unforgettable.</p>
<h3>What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?</h3>
<p>I believe the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is personal growth. Living in another country teaches you to be more independent, confident, and open-minded. You learn to communicate with people from different cultures, improve your language skills, and gain valuable international experience.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It also helps you see the world from a new perspective and prepares you for future career opportunities.</p>
<h3>Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?</h3>
<div class="awesome-image right-aligned " ><img src="https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/v1788307388/images2/interviews/FZbnUZRrWNkqSuZep8ZxZqbZtPlL9I8eKR6tdVZE.jpg" alt="my new friends"><div class="caption"><p>my new friends</p></div></div>
<p>My time abroad gave me confidence, practical skills, and a clearer vision of my future career. I continue my studies at the Academy of Tourism and Business in Antalya, where I can gain professional experience through internships starting from the first year.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Thanks to my international internship, I feel more prepared for my future career in hospitality and motivated to keep developing my skills.</p>
<h3>What does meaningful travel mean to you?</h3>
<p>Meaningful travel is about much more than visiting new places. It is about learning from different cultures, meeting new people, and challenging yourself to grow.&nbsp;</p>
<p>My experience in Turkey helped me become more independent, improve my professional and language skills, and create friendships that will last a lifetime.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Meaningful travel changes the way you see the world and helps you become a better version of yourself.</p>

Arseniy Ovchinnikov

Check out this GoAbroad Interview with Arseniy Ovchinnikov who participated in The Academy of Tourism Antalya program.

Arseniy Ovchinnikov | The Academy of Tourism Antalya

The Academy of Tourism Antalya Alumni Interview with Arseniy Ovchinnikov

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